Almond Butter (Attempt #1)

My first almond butter!

A couple weeks ago we found out that Chris is allergic to peanuts!  UGH!  We could not have been more surprised at this revelation as we were eating peanut butter daily!!  Chris kept a jar at work, I keep a jar at work and we have a jar at home (plus 1 or 2 stockpiled).  I eat it in my oatmeal and on toast; Chris made PB & J at work several times a week.  It was almost devastating!!!  (He doesn't have such a high allergy that he needs to carry an epi-pen, etc., but it may have been causing some G/I issues that he wants to avoid.) 

However, the alternative, a wheat allergy or gluten intolerance, would have been FAR worse ... and costly!! I cannot imagine giving up pasta, bread, crackers, baked goods ... so many, many things.  We would either have to buy the special "gluten-free" alternatives and/or make our own.  YIKES!  I would have changed my diet along with Chris, but, man, that would have been so immensely life-altering!  We are foodies and the limitations would have been so very sad! 

I have been wanting to make Almond Butter for awhile ... after reading about it on a blog or two.  So, even tho Chris can eat peanuts and peanut butter, this was the perfect excuse.  I had no recipe to reference.  I used almonds, a bit of olive oil and a bit of almond milk.  I think I should have only used the almond milk, but I forgot we had it until after adding the olive oil.  It wasn't great, but it is pretty good.  Chris has been eating it (maybe he is just being nice...) and I would like to try my hand at some more.  Make some with cinnamon and maple, possibly even pumpkin (my fave!!).

I also got him some Soy Butter.  Not really a true PB substitute.

We looked at Maranatha Almond Butter at Costco, but it says there may be peanuts and we are trying our best to avoid the allergen whenever possible. 

Here are some links for AB recipes that I want to master:

http://edibleperspective.com/2010/10/a-nutty-kind-of-day/
http://edibleperspective.com/2010/12/chocolate-or-vanilla/
http://edibleperspective.com/2010/04/nut-buttery-addiction/

And  Pecan Butter, too:
http://edibleperspective.com/2010/05/here-i-am/

Today is the 9th anniversary of my father's passing, yet I am at peace.  Today is filled with both joy & nostalgia as I remember our life together.  I love you and miss you, Dad!  (Always did and always will...)

Share your love today.  Then you will know that they know how you really feel and you won't have to wonder that they knew when you can no longer tell them.